Amid the buzz of the India AI Impact Summit, French leader Emmanuel Macron let his passion for India flow freely. Visiting New Delhi on Thursday, he participated in the launch event and explored the accompanying expo. Approaching an IANS camera crew, he beamed and said, ‘I love your country,’ in a moment of unscripted charm.
Such displays are par for the course on this tour. The day prior, arriving from Mumbai in the rain, Macron thanked airport artists with a respectful namaste. His earlier Mumbai outing saw him jogging and waving to locals, embodying relatability.
Macron’s speech kicked off with ‘Namaste’ and ended on ‘Jai Ho.’ He extolled India’s digital prowess, unmatched globally. Through the lens of a Mumbai street seller—who went from no bank access to instant digital transactions—Macron showcased India’s grounded innovation. ‘This transcends tech; it’s civilizational progress,’ he asserted.
On AI dynamics, he praised India’s self-reliant strategy: crafting efficient language models and equipping 38,000 GPUs for startups affordably. This positions India as a sovereign AI powerhouse.
Concluding with the vendor anecdote, Macron highlighted India’s defiance of naysayers on mass digitization. The visit aligns with the upcoming 2026 India-France Innovation Year, emphasizing joint AI roadmaps for responsible development. Macron’s enthusiasm foreshadows robust future collaborations.